Iowa Travel Industry Partners

What Iowa Travel Industry Partners does

Iowa Travel Industry Partners (iTIP) is a private, nonprofit statewide trade association founded in 2015 and headquartered in Burlington, Iowa, dedicated to connecting, supporting, and advocating for Iowa's tourism and hospitality industry. The organization delivers value through a five-pillar operating model (Development, Resources, Education, Advocacy, Marketing) and operates formal divisions for key verticals including Team Iowa (sports tourism) and Meet Iowa (meetings and conventions). Its membership encompasses destination marketing organizations, lodging properties, attractions, museums, restaurants, casinos, and vendor partners, reaching a record 146 member organizations and connecting 750+ tourism professionals.

iTIP's core product is a tiered membership program with annual dues ranging from $191 (General Membership, 0-10 FTE) to $8,158 (Destination Marketing Organizations over $1M budget), plus a separate $876 Vendor Partner tier and contact-for-pricing Lodging Properties tier. Supplemental revenue and engagement come from professional development events (iDISCOVER at $225 for members / $275 for non-members, Advocacy 101, Iowa Tourism Night, Summer Celebration awards), funding programs (Elevate Iowa Tourism scholarships up to $40K annually; FAM Tour Support Fund $25K total / $2,500 per tour in partnership with Travel Iowa), and biennial publications (Iowa Group Travel Guide, Iowa Meeting Guide, Iowa Sports Guide) distributed through media partnerships with The Group Travel Leader, Small Market Meetings, and Premier Travel Media. The iTIP Foundation (501c3) handles scholarships, awards, and workforce development.

The organization's primary proprietary technology asset is the Economic Impact Calculator, a web-based tool developed in partnership with CyBiz Labs at Iowa State University that calculates direct, indirect, and induced event spending impacts from attendee data inputs; it is gated behind active membership, with a $100 non-member access fee. Other partnerships include Tempest for the Sports Tourism Index + Scout tool and Cornerstone Government Affairs for state-level advocacy. Distribution combines direct membership sales via the iTIP website, member portal access, trade show lead-sharing, and regional/national publication channels. Go-to-market is sales-led, targeting tourism entities across Iowa through direct outreach, industry events, and a Member-Get-A-Member referral program. iTIP employs 1-10 staff, operates with no parent company, and is governed by an 18-member Board of Directors led by Executive Director Chelsea Lerud.

Name

Iowa Travel Industry Partners

Legal name

Iowa Travel Industry Partners

Website

https://iowatravelindustry.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Iowa Travel Industry Partners (iTIP) is a nonprofit statewide trade association founded in 2015 that connects, advocates for, and educates Iowa's tourism and hospitality industry through a 146-member network spanning DMOs, lodging, restaurants, casinos, attractions, and event operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Iowa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees collected from tourism organizations, attractions, restaurants, lodging properties, DMOs/CVBs, and vendor partners. Membership is valid for one full year with pricing varying by organization type, size, and budget.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Iowa Travel Industry Partners (iTIP) is a statewide membership-based trade association that serves Iowa's tourism and hospitality industry through tiered annual memberships, advocacy, professional development programs, funding programs, publications, and analytical tools. Its primary sellable offering is the iTIP membership program, complemented by standalone products such as the Economic Impact Calculator, the iDISCOVER and iLEAD professional development programs, the FAM Tour Support Fund, the Elevate Iowa Tourism Education Scholarship, and biennial destination guides. Revenue is generated principally from annual membership dues paid by DMOs, CVBs, attractions, lodging properties, restaurants, and vendor partners across Iowa.

Product overview

Iowa Travel Industry Partners (iTIP) operates as a statewide membership-based association rather than a technology product company. The organization offers a comprehensive membership program with multiple tiers (General Membership, Lodging Properties, DMOs, Affiliate/County/Vendor Partners) providing advocacy, resources, professional development, and networking benefits. Core products include the Economic Impact Calculator (analytical tool developed with CyBiz Labs), professional development programs (iDISCOVER, iLEAD, Advocacy 101), funding programs (FAM Tour Support Fund, Elevate Iowa Scholarships), and niche market divisions (Team Iowa for sports tourism, Meet Iowa for meetings). Publications include the biennial Iowa Group Travel Guide, Iowa Meeting Guide, and Iowa Sports Guide. The organization also provides advocacy tools, student/group travel resources, and tourism services. No AI/ML capabilities or public API are offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Team Iowa: A division of iTIP dedicated to attracting youth, amateur, and professional sporting events to Iowa
• iTIP Foundation

Products and services

• iTIP Membership Comprehensive annual membership program for Iowa tourism/hospitality businesses and organizations, with tiered categories (General, Lodging Properties, Destination Marketing Organization, Affiliate Association, County Partner, Vendor Partner) providing advocacy, resources, connections, marketing exposure, and professional development.
• Economic Impact Calculator Analytical web tool that models the full economic effect of events on local economies, calculating direct, indirect, and induced spending impacts from attendee demographics and spending patterns. Free to iTIP members; $100 fee for non-members.
• iDISCOVER: Lead, Grow, Connect Immersive professional development experience for tourism professionals combining hands-on learning, peer-to-peer collaboration, industry resources, and interactive experiences. $225 for iTIP members, $275 for non-members.
• iLEAD Leadership and networking program for tourism professionals within the iTIP membership, designed to develop future industry leaders.
• FAM Tour Support Fund Funding program providing up to $2,500 per familiarization tour to help Iowa destinations host qualified meeting planners, supporting future meetings and conventions in Iowa.
• Elevate Iowa Tourism: Education Scholarship Scholarship program covering 60% of event registration costs and travel expenses up to $2,250 per person, enabling Iowa tourism professionals to attend regional and national educational conferences. Up to $40,000 available annually.
• Advocacy 101: Legislative Training Day Training event for tourism professionals to learn legislative advocacy skills, understand the legislative process, and prepare for effective Capitol visits with Iowa lawmakers.
• Iowa Tourism Night Annual legislative networking event bringing together Iowa's travel and hospitality industry with elected officials to showcase tourism's economic impact.
• Iowa Group Travel Guide Biennial publication serving as one of Iowa's primary marketing tools for reaching tour operators and group travel planners, distributed through print, digital, and trade show channels.
• Iowa Meeting Guide Biennial publication showcasing Iowa's meeting venues and destinations for meeting planners, created in partnership with Small Market Meetings.
• Iowa Sports Guide 16-page guide produced in partnership with Premier Travel Media's Sports Planning Guide showcasing Iowa's premier sports venues, destinations, and success stories.
• Team Iowa (Sports Tourism Division) Division dedicated to attracting youth, amateur, and professional sporting events to Iowa, serving as the only statewide organization dedicated to the sports travel market.
• Meet Iowa (Meetings Division) Division dedicated to promoting Iowa as a meeting and convention destination, connecting meeting planners with Iowa venues, resources, and amenities.
• Student Travel Resources Curated itineraries and resources for educational student group tours covering history, science, art, and agriculture, with suggested activities, accommodations, and dining options.
• Group Tour Resources Group tour planning resources including themed itineraries (Choose Your Own Adventure, Spine-Chilling Fun, Iowa's Americana Story), destination profiles, and partner connections for motorcoach travel.
• Advocacy Toolkit Comprehensive guide for effectively championing Iowa's tourism industry, providing tips on engaging legislators, understanding the legislative process, and crafting impactful advocacy messages.
• Tourism Services (Brochure Rack) Brochure rack services connecting Iowa tourism organizations with visitor-friendly materials, helping destinations stock shelves with up-to-date content.

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tempest (Sports Tourism Index + Scout)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership provides the Sports Tourism Index + Scout tool making it easy to find host destinations for sporting events. Input event needs and Iowa venue capabilities for many sports will populate, helping rights holders find appropriate Iowa venues.
• CyBiz Labs of Iowa State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHired to develop the Economic Impact Model for measuring the full effect of events on local economies. The model calculates direct, indirect, and induced spending impacts using relationships programmed into the backend for tracking supply chain trickle-down effects.
• Travel IowacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerState tourism office partner supporting iTIP's meeting promotion and group travel initiatives. Iowa's group tour promotion and meeting guide are supported by Travel Iowa.
• The Group Travel LeadercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for the Iowa Group Travel Guide, produced collaboratively to position Iowa in the competitive group travel marketplace. Guide distributed through print, digital, and trade show channels.
• Small Market Meetings (Pioneer Publishing)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for the Iowa Meeting Guide publication, designed to offer a snapshot of Iowa's meeting venues on an every-other-year timeline.
• Premier Travel Media (Sports Planning Guide)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for the Iowa Sports Guide - a 16-page publication showcasing Iowa's premier venues, destinations, and success stories.
• Group Tour MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing marketing support for Iowa's tourism industry.
• Madden MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing partner supporting tourism promotion efforts.
• Midwest Travel NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional travel network partner for tourism marketing.
• Orange 142minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing partner supporting tourism initiatives.
• The Group Travel LeadercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for group travel content and publication support.
• Travel UnityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDEI-focused tourism marketing partner.
• Cornerstone Government AffairscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGovernment affairs lobbying firm representing iTIP. David Adelman serves as iTIP's lobbyist with over 10 years of experience in grassroots advocacy and legislative campaigns.
• Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState economic development authority partnering on tourism initiatives including funding for the Elevate Iowa Tourism: Education Scholarship program and collaboration on tourism projects.
• Iowa Tourism OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState tourism office providing funding support for the Elevate Iowa Tourism: Education Scholarship and collaborative tourism promotion efforts.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Midwest Travel Network: Regional travel network covering multiple Midwestern states; iTIP lists Midwest Travel Network as a marketing partner. It is a multi-state counterpart to iTIP's Iowa-specific industry-collaboration role, making it a regional peer.

Direct peers

• Visit Florida: Florida's statewide tourism marketing organization, combining state funding with industry partnerships to promote the state as a destination. iTIP's mix of state agency collaboration, member services, and statewide publications maps closely to Visit Florida's operating model.
• Nebraska Travel Association: Neighbor-state tourism trade association with advocacy, member services, and destination marketing functions similar to iTIP. Comparable Midwest state-level scope and member base structure.
• Travel Oregon: State-level tourism organization that pairs state-government partnership with industry stakeholder engagement, destination marketing, and trade show representation. Functionally similar to iTIP's role in Iowa, with comparable advocacy and marketing remit at a state level.
• Visit California: State-level tourism marketing and advocacy organization that combines public funding, member-style stakeholder engagement, trade show representation, and statewide publications — the same core model iTIP operates, just at California scale.
• Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association: State-level hospitality trade association providing advocacy, education, and networking for lodging and tourism stakeholders. A direct functional peer in the Midwest, though lodging-focused rather than the broader tourism remit iTIP covers.
• Indiana Tourism Association: A neighboring Midwestern state-level tourism trade association with a comparable blend of advocacy, member services, and marketing programs. Closest geographic and structural analog to iTIP at peer scale.

Broad incumbents

• Brand USA: National destination marketing organization that promotes the United States internationally through public-private partnership. Operates a similar state-agency-collaborative model to iTIP at a national scale, with overlapping marketing publication and trade show distribution.
• Destinations International: Global trade association for destination marketing organizations (DMOs), CVBs, and tourism boards. Many of iTIP's DMO members (Catch Des Moines, Visit Quad Cities, etc.) are peer organizations to Destinations International's members, and the association provides overlapping advocacy, education, and research.
• U.S. Travel Association: National trade association representing the U.S. travel industry, with advocacy, research, and education programs analogous to iTIP but operating at the federal level and a vastly larger scale. Direct functional analog of iTIP's advocacy and member-services model, just national rather than Iowa-specific.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iatravelpartner
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCuclD-RHhrOnVAJbxSqReSw/featured
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iowa-travel-industry-partners
• Instagraminstagram.com/iatravelpartner
• Facebookfacebook.com/IATravelPartner

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Iowa Travel Industry Partners